Auriana Lazraq Khlass Faces 22-Month Ban for Whereabouts Failures

Auriana Lazraq Khlass faces a 22-month ban after the Athletics Integrity Unit ruled the French heptathlete committed three whereabouts failures.

The suspension sidelines the European silver medalist until January 2028. It marks a severe setback for the 27-year-old competitor from Metz, who spent much of the past year battling injuries.

All competitive results achieved by the athlete since November 10, 2025, are annulled.

Lazraq Khlass previously captured a silver medal at the 2024 European Championships in Rome and placed 16th at the Paris Olympics. Physical ailments and recurring injuries kept her away from major competitions throughout 2025.

Tribunal Rules on Missed Filing Failures by Lazraq Khlass

The Atletics Integrity Unit detailed three missed filing failures attributed to the French athlete on February 16, August 23, and November 10, 2025. Lazraq Khlass admitted fault for the first two incidents, acknowledging she failed to update her schedule within the Adams anti-doping software.

She contested the third violation, explaining that an intended update for the following day was erroneously applied to the current date. The disciplinary panel concluded that while she did not intend to evade testing, her conduct reflected negligence that breached anti-doping rules.

“C’est terriblement sévère,” François Battle told 20minutes.fr, describing the sanction for what he called a misuse of the digital tracking tool rather than any intentional doping offense.

Lazraq Khlass Evaluates Potential Challenge to Suspension

The athlete and her legal counsel are currently evaluating whether to challenge the suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Under the terms of the current disciplinary decision, Lazraq Khlass cannot return to official track and field competition until January 2028.